Fluid-clutch.



A. H. SHOEMAKER.

. FLUID CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.11,1911.

1,034,739., Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

All 111144 174 WITNESSES. INVENTUR M flZyzh Jfiaerzzafen /w% r4- BY A TTOR/VEV A. H. SHOEMAKER.

FLUID CLUTCH.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.11, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES v I E HI 14 TTOR/VEV s'ra TENT CE.

OREGON, ASSIGNOR'OF TWO-THIRDS TO ALBERT AND ONE-THIRD TO J. W. HURLEY, ALL OF FLUID-CLUTCH.

oaaaee.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

Application filed September 11, 1911. Serial No. 648,811.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN H. SHOE- MAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for governing the speed of a vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine, and has for its object generally speaking to provide a device of greater flexibility and durability of simpler construction and of greater ease of operation than the transmission "gearing usually employed in this type of vehicle.

To this end my invention consists in the features and combinations clearly set forth in the following description.

In the appended drawings-forming part of the specification my device is illustrated in the following manner. I

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the engine fly-wheel in which parts of my device are mounted, Fig. 2 is an inverted or front elevation of the fly-wheel showing the remaining parts of my invention, Fig. 3 is a sectional lan view of the mechanism illustrated 1n Figs. 1 and 2. .Fig. 4 illustrates in sectional side elevation the valve mechanism of my device, and Fig. 5 shows perspectively the valve controlling mechanism. Fly-wheel a, rigidly secured to engine drive-shaft b, is cupshaped and in the cylindrical chamber thus formed are mounted a series of radially disposed lugs 0. These lugs are preferably integral with the wheel and are provided with radially disposed cylindrical perforations d, adapted to receive a corresponding series of pistons e, e e and e. The outer ends of perforations d are closed by airtight screw-caps f. The open face of fly-wheel a is tightly closed by a flange 9 providedwith a central projection or hub 71., in which journals a crank-shaft z in alinement with engine drive shaft 6. Crank-shaft '5 is in any suitable manner connected with the drive wheels of the vehicle. On crank'pin 7' of shaft '13. is rotatably hung a sleeve is, on which a series of piston rods fulcrum,and said rods are by hinge joints m operatively connected with pistons e. The outer ends or bottoms of piston chamstarts slowly and only hers (I are interconnected by a series of airducts or tubes n. The fiy-wheel and engine, when directly connected, revolve together. If a clutch is interposed between the flywheel and the engine, the latter is first permitted to attain its normal speed, whereupon the clutch is thrown to connect the two members in the usual manner.

The function of the mechanism described is to transmit the rotary motion of the flywheel to crank-shaft i, but as said crankshaft is restrained by a load equal to the power required to move the vehicle, said crank-shaft tends to resist the action of the fiy-wheel and to remain stationary. The consequence is that the. pistons, due to the eccentric position of crank-pin y', commence to reciprocate in cylinders d, the result of which is better understood by referring to Fig. 1, where piston e is positioned at the beginning of its stroke and the opposite piston e at the end of its stroke, while the other pistons e and a both are centrally located. The fly-wheel, rotating in the direction of arrow 0, causes pistons e and e to move forward and pistons 6 e to recede. The air behind pistons e, e is thus forced into and through tubes at into the space behind pistons e and e, and vice versa. If tubes 01 are relatively large the air flows freely and rapidly from cylinder to cylinder, permitting the fiy-wheel to revolve and crank-shaft i to remam stationary, but if the tubes are very small relative to the volume of air in the cylinders, then the .air pulsations become retarded, with the consequence that the crank-shaft is caused to rotate.

It is readily seen-that the greater the load is on crank-shaft i, the greater becomes the air pressure, and the quicker the pulsations, and as the load usually is greatest on starting the vehicle from a dead stop, the latter load decreases. I,

The above described mechanism works entirely automatically, it is only necessary to correctly calculate the relative areas of the cylinders and the air tubes to develop a predetermined speed with a given load, andalso to takecare that the well fitted to prevent leakage. As the flywheel is ti htl covered by flange g, the fly-wheel' 0 am er maybe partly or enpistons are gains speed as the tirely filled with suitable lubricants to ingreat a pressure is created in the system, sure the smooth and easy running of the inthat the tension behlnd said piston equals closed mechanism. It is found desirable atmospheric pressure. however to manually regulate the air pres- I claim:

5 sure and the consequent rapidity of pulsa- 1. In a device of the character described tions in order to adjust the speed of the in combination, an engine shaft, a series of vehicle to. various loads, and this I accomradially disposed cylinders rigidly molmted plish in the following manner. I calcuon said engine shaft, a crank-shaft in horilate tubes 11 large enough to develop a 'cerzontal alinementwith said engine shaft and 10 tain speed with the minimum load applioperatively connected with .the vehicle drivecable, and provide said tubes with regulatwheels, a series of piston rods rotatably ing valves p, theopening and closing of hung on the crank-pin of said crank-shaft, which govern the range of pulsations. The said rods pivotally fixed to the pistons of stems of said valves ournal in and extend said cylinders, and a series of air-tubes con- 5 through the wall of the fly-wheel and are necting the outer ends of said cylinders. on their outer projecting ends provided with 2. In a device of the character described fixed heads 7*. These heads are oblong in in combination, an engine shaft, a fly-wheel shape and at oneend made with a projectoperatively connected with said engine ing finger .9, while the other end is heavy shaft, a series of radially disposed cylinders 20 enough to perfectly balance the head, so as mounted on said fly-wheel, a crankshaft in 35 to prevent the centrifugal force of the rehorizontal alinement with said engine shaft volving wheel from disturbing the angular and operatively connected with the engine position of the head. drive-wheels, a series of piston rods rota- On bearing support t of engine drivetably hung on the crank-pin of said crank- 25 shaft 6 I mo nt a standard u, in which is shaft, a bearing sleeve interposed between rotatably fixed a stud o, integral with one said rods and said crank-pin, said piston end of which is a deflector w. The latter rods pivotally fixed to the pistons of said is made on the form of a wedge-shaped cylinders, a series of air-tubes connecting trough and so positioned relative to finger the outer ends of said cylinders, and an air 0 projections s of valve heads 1*, that said provent in each cylinder so positioned relative jections, in revolving with the fly-wheel, to the piston that air is free to enter the cylpass through said trough enterin' at the inder on completion 'of the inward stroke large end and escaping through t e small of the piston. I end, which is barely wide enough to permit 3. In a device of. the character described,

35 the projections to pass. Deflector 'w is by an engine shaft, a fiy-wheel'operatively 0011- hinged rod a: operatively connected with a nected with said engine shaft, a series of r& suitable hand-lever mechanism (not shown), dially disposed cylinders rigidly mounted by means of which the operator of the veon said fly-wheel, a crank-shaft in horizonhicle may adjust the angular position of tal alinement with said engine shaft and 40 the deflector, and thereby control the openoperatively connected with the vehicle driveing and closing of the valves, as clearly wheels, a series of piston rods rotatably shown in full and broken lines in Fig. 2. hung on the crank-pin of said crank-shaft, When the deflector is set to entirely close a bearing sleeve interposed between said the valves no pulsations can take place, and rods and said crank pin, said rods'pivotally 45 my device operates as a positive and yet fixed to the pistons of said cylinders, a severy elastic clutch. ries of air-tubes connecting'the outer ends Screw-caps f are preferably made with of said cylinders, each of said air-tubes procavities 3 and piston chambers cl are made vided with a regulating valve, and manulong enough so that the pistons do not botally operate means for controlling said 50 tom. In this manner, an air cushion always valves. remains behind a piston, and prevents any 4. Inadevice of the character described, an jerking tendency on the part of the piston engine shaft,a fly-wheel operatively connecton reaching the end of its stroke. ed with said engine shaft, a series of radially Finally I wish to call attention to air disposed cylinders rigidly mounted-on said 55 vents z of the piston chambers, which are so fly-wheel, a crank-shaft in horizontal alinepositioned relative to the pistons, that air ment with said engine shaft and operatively can enter said chambers when the pistons connected with the vehicle drive wheels,a sehave reached the end of their return stroke. ries of piston rods rotatably hung on the The object of these air vents is to increase crank-pin of said crank-shaft, a bearing 60 the air pressure in the pulsative system of sleeve interposed betweensaid rods and said my. device, in order thereby to make it more cranlopin, said rods pivotally fixed to the efiicient. As a piston com letes its return pistons of said cylinders, a series of air stroke, a partial vacuum orms behind it, tubes connecting the outer ends of. said cylwhich causes air to enter through said vent, inders, each of said air-tubes provided with v 65 and this performance is repeated until 50 a regulating valve, manually operated means for controlling said valves, and an a1r vent in each cyllnder so positioned relative to the piston that air is free to enter the an elongated balanced head rigidly to the end of each valve stem, a finger procylinder on completion of the inward stroke of the piston.

5. In a device of the character described in combination, an engine shaft, a fly-wheel operatively connected with said engine shaft, a series of radially disposed cylinders rigidly mounted on said flyavheeha crankshaft in horizontal alinement with said en gine shaft and operatively connected with the drive wheels of the vehicle, a series of piston rods rotatably hung on the crankpin of said crank shaft, a bearing sleeve interposed between said rods and said crankpin, said rods-pivotally fixed to the pistons of said cylinders, a series of air-tubes connecting the outer ends of said cylinders, a regulating valve on each of said air-tubes, secured jection on one end of the valve head, manually operated means cooperating with said finger projection for oscillating said valve heads to regulate the opening of said valves, and an air vent in each cylinder so positioned relative to the piston that air is free to enter the cylinder on completionof the 0 inward stroke of the piston.

6. In a device of the character described,

an engine shaft, a fly-wheel operatively connected with said engine shaft, a series of radially disposed cylinders rigidly mounted on said fly-Wheel, a crank shaft in horizontal alinement With said engine shaft and operatively connected with the vehicle drive wheels, a series of piston rods rotatably hung on the crank-pin of said crank shaft, a bearing sleeve interposed between said rods and said crank pin, said rods pivotally fixed to the pistons of said cylinders, a series of air-tubes connecting the outer ends of said cylinders, a regulating valve on each of said air tubes, anelongated balanced head on the end of each of the valve stems, a finger projection on one end of the valve head, a bracketmounted on the engine shaft support, a deflector journaled in said bracket in registration with the finger projections of said valve heads, manually operated means for adjusting said deflector, and an air vent in each cylinder so "positioned relative to the piston that air is free to enter the cylinder on completion of the inward stroke of the piston.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVIN H. SHOEMAKER. Witnesses:

L. W. HUMPHREYS, GRACE L. TWITCHELL. 

